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OBSERVATIONS

MADE DURING

A SHORT RESIDENCE IN VIRGINIA.

In a Letter from the Editor to his Friend in Philadelphia.

My dear Friend,

Richmond, May 30, 1814. IN conformity to my promise at parting, I sit down to communicate to you a few of my observations on Virginia. Regarding some of the objects, however, to which you directed my attention, I must decline offering any opinion. Vain and futile will always be the attempt to form correct ideas of the character and manners of a people by a mere residence of a few months among them. Modern travellers, I confess, particularly travellers in America, seem, if we may judge from their practice, to think themselves qualified to delineate the character of a whole people by the slightest and most superficial glance, and to catch their manners while driving through the country with the rapidity of a mail coach; but unfortunately (though perhaps fortunately enough for you), your friend is not possessed of this kind of intuitive genius.

There are, however, a few traits in the character of the Virginians, which are so prominent as to strike even the most superficial observer. These cannot be better expressed than in the language of their countryman, the celebrated author of the British Spy and Old Bachelor: "A hospitality, the genuine offspring of the heart; unbounded generosity; a courage superior to all difficulties; and an instinctive abhorrence of every little, mean artifice, the miserable expedients of vulgar minds." Their vices are such as arise from the same temperament of mind which produces their virtues. The most striking to a stranger is a spirit of gambling, which stalks openly abroad, and displays itself in a variety of forms, such as horse-racing, cock-fighting, &c. These amusements, if they can be so termed, are not even prohibited by the laws.

The purity in which the English language is spoken throughout the United States has often been remarked by strangers. There is a slight peculiarity of pronunciation observable in Virginia, however, which is not confined to the vulgar, but is to be observed among the best educated, and is even to be heard at the bar. This peculiarity is principally observable in the words where, there, stair, and in similar sounds, where the vowel is pronounced by the Virginians like the å in the word far, instead of the à in the word fate. There are a few words, also, which are used in Virginia in a different acceptation from their proper one, but this is by no means so universal as the peculiar pronunciation already mentioned. I shall cite a few instances which particularly struck me.-Visiting a gentleman in the country one morning, he gave me a pressing invitation to spend the day with him, and on my assenting, called to his servants: "Here, Jack, take the gentleman's horse out of the gig, and carry him to the branch*; and, Bill, do you tote the cushions into the hall." On another occasion, being on horseback, directions were given to hang my horse to the fence, while I should stop and refresh myself. The magnolia, which grows in great luxuriance in the swamps in Virginia, casting a most delicious perfume through the woods, is commonly called the laurel, and what we call the laurel is by the Virginians denominated the ivy. A lane, in Virginia, means a road, whatever may be its breadth, which has a fence on both sides. The day after my arrival here, I was much surprized by enquiries if the road was not very bad in such and such lanes, not having observed that I passed through a lane during the whole journey. The meaning attached to this word is a striking exemplification of the uncultivated state of the country. In the eastern parts of Pennsylvania, nearly all our roads are lanes. The long season is an expression indicative of a peculiar product of the state. Whenever we had a louring sky during the month of May, every person was predicting the approach of the long season, which, on enquiry, I found meant a series of rainy days which generally happens in that month, which is taken advantage of by the country people for planting their tobacco, which cannot be done but in wet weather.

In early times tobacco was the grand staple of Virginia, but its culture has for many years been on the decline, and that of wheat is fast taking its place. Tobacco is not allowed to be exported until it has been inspected at one of the public ware

* By a branch is meant what is commonly, though improperly, called a creek in Pennsylvania.

houses, which are established by law, and are numerous throughout the state. The mode of dealing in that article is as follows: After the tobacco is properly cured and packed in hogsheads, the planters take it to a public warehouse, where, as soon as it is inspected, it is stowed away, and a note, or transferable receipt, given to the owner by the inspector. Tobacco of inferior quality is generally sold merely by a transfer of this note, without the purchaser having seen the tobacco. This is called "selling on the face of the note." But when the quality is good, the seller requests the dealers in the article to attend the inspection, that they may be able to judge of its value. When tobacco is refused by the inspector, the proprietor may either separate the good from the bad himself, or by his servants, or suffer it to be done by the public pickers, who are allowed twenty-one cents per hogshead for opening, and one twelfth of the tobacco saved for their trouble in picking.

Payments are often made in tobacco in this state, so that tobacco notes may be regarded as a species of money, or circulating medium. They are by law current "in all tobacco payments" in the county where the tobacco is inspected, and the counties next adjoining, except in counties separated by great rivers, or by the Chesapeake bay.

It would appear that fines are sometimes imposed as well as payments made in tobacco. By the act incorporating the town of Petersburg, passed in May session, 1784, the court of hustings of that town was restricted from hearing or determining any penal case, unless for a breach of the corporation laws, "the penalty whereof exceeded forty shillings, or two hundred pounds of crop tobacco; or any action beyond the value of ten pounds, or a thousand pounds of crop tobacco."

Tobacco cannot be taken out of a public warehouse by any person but a licensed stemmer or manufacturer, except for the purpose of exportation from the state.

My knowledge of the country parts of Virginia is confined to the great mail route between Alexandria and Petersburg, with a few excursions around the principal towns. Were I to judge of the country by this specimen, I should form but a mean opinion either of its beauty or fertility, the land being principally flat, and the road passing for a great part of the way through dreary forests of pine. The population, too, is extremely thin and scattered. But few farm-houses can be seen from the road, and those few are generally at a great distance from it.-The taverns are miserable, and generally 10 or 12 miles apart; and no human dwellings between them, save here and there a solitary log hut.-But this, I am told, is an unfair specimen of Virginia: the lands

further to the west are said to be much superior, particularly the extensive valley beyond the Blue Ridge, which is described as a delightful country, highly cultivated.

All the country-houses in Virginia have the chimneys built outside of the dwelling, which gives them a very singular appearance in the eyes of travellers from the north. Another peculiarity is, that the kitchen is uniformly in a separate building; in some instances a considerable distance from the house. This must certainly be extremely inconvenient, particularly in wet weather, and could have arisen, I should suppose, from no less powerful a motive than fear.

Very few horses are employed in agriculture in Virginia, and those few are miserably poor. The principal dependence here is upon mules, which being a very hardy animal, is not apt to be injured by the carelessness so natural to slaves. It is somewhat singular that the animals used for agricultural purposes regularly increase in size as you approach the north. The mule of the southern states is superseded by the horse in the middle states, whose place is universally supplied by oxen in New England.

The whole system of Virginia agriculture, with perhaps a few exceptions, is fundamentally and radically wrong. The farms or plantations, as they are called, are generally very extensive, and the quantity of land under cultivation far beyond the means of the cultivator. The land consequently in a few years becomes literally good for nothing, and more woodland must be cleared for future operations. Undoubtedly slavery has had a considerable effect in producing this state of affairs; but, nevertheless, I have no doubt but beneficial effects might be produced by some of the intelligent planters travelling in Europe, or even in some of the middle or northern states, with the patriotic view of introducing a change in the agricultural system in their respective neighbourhoods. A few Arthur Youngs might produce a wonderful change on the face of the country.

Most of the plantations in Virginia are dignified with names, as Mount Vernon, Monticello, Montpellier, Fairmount, &c. &c. This is an English fashion, which has not been adopted, or in a very slight degree, in the middle or northern states, where perhaps it is less necessary, on account of the subdivision of the counties into townships, or towns as they are called in New England.

The appearance of the towns is much superior to that of the country, and the land in their immediate neighbourhood is of course more thickly settled and in a higher state of cultivation. Fredericksburg is beautifully situated in a fertile valley, on the south-west side of the Rappahannock, and the situation of Rich

mond is perhaps one of the most beautiful in the United States. In Petersburg, though that part of the town where business is transacted, is irregular, low, and dirty, yet, as you leave the river, the ground gently rises to a considerable distance, and this part of the town is extremely agreeable, and abounds with charming prospects.-The gardens which are attached to all the houses in the Virginia towns, excepting in those parts which are closely built, add very much to their beauty, being in general remarkably well kept.

Fredericksburg is situated just below the falls of the Rappahannock, and consists principally of one main street, which is filled with stores, taverns, &c. Until within a few years this town was almost entirely built of wood. A great fire, which took place about that time, was the means of introducing a new system. That part of the town which was destroyed by the fire is now rebuilt with substantial brick stores, with tiled roofs. The Rappahannock is navigable to the town in small vessels, and, before the obstructions to commerce, it enjoyed a considerable trade. Buildings and lots in the main street are very high. Good land in the vicinity of the town sells for from 20 to 40 dollars per acre.

Richmond is situated on the north side of James River, just at the point where the tide water is stopped by the romantic falls of that river. This town likewise consists principally of one main street, of considerable length, which runs parallel with the river, and lies between and upon two hills, which approach close to the water's edge. It is built almost entirely of brick, and is well paved.

The beautiful situation of Richmond has already been noticed. The city and neighbourhood abound with the most elegant and variegated prospects, of which the falls and the navigable stream below form the most striking objects, both of which are embellished with beautiful islands. The flat country on the south side of the river, in which stands the village of Manchester, which is connected with Richmond by a long wooden bridge, is strikingly opposed to the bold shores of the north. Just below the city, the river makes a bend nearly at right angles with its former course, affording a very extensive prospect of that beautiful object.

Richmond contains a number of handsome buildings, which generally stand in situations where they can be seen to great advantage. Among these may be enumerated the Capitol, the State Armoury, the Penitentiary, and the Monumental Church, which latter is erecting on the site of the theatre, the destruction I

VOL. III.

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